Train to teach with LEO Academy Trust!

LEO Academy Trust is incredibly proud to work in partnership with the National Institute of Teaching as an Associate College to deliver Initial Teacher Training (ITT), Early Career Framework (ECF) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) from September 2025. 

Associate Colleges are successful school trusts, selected because of their wealth of in-house expertise in professional development and their deep relationships in their local areas. This collaboration allows us to be at the forefront of educational excellence, providing local teachers with unparalleled opportunities for professional growth, learning and development. Together, we are shaping the future of teaching and learning, ensuring that every child receives the highest quality education.

Applications for our primary ITT courses are now open for September 2025! Our initial teacher training is a fully immersive school-centred programme - aspiring teachers will be in the classroom from the very start. But full immersion does not mean that you will be thrown in the deep end: our trainees are mentored and have central training once a week.

To apply for a place on our ITT programme, please click here. 

To register your interest to find out more information, please click here.

To explore our ITT site, please click here.

LEO Professional Learning Opportunities 2024-2025

There are lots of professional learning opportunities on offer for 2024-2025.

Take a look at our new LEO Professional Learning Brochure here which contains the dates and times of upcoming training sessions.

• Network Learning Community Sessions

• Early Career Teacher Professional Learning

• Subject Specific Professional Learning

• Writing Networks

• Google Professional Learning

• Leadership Professional Learning

• Coaching opportunities

LEO & SET Early Career Teacher Subject Specific Sessions 

There are lots of subject specific professional learning opportunities for our ECTs on offer for 2024-2025.

Take a look at our new ECT Subject Specific Professional Learning Programme here which contains the dates and times of upcoming training sessions.

Olevi Professional Learning 

There are lots of Olevi professional learning sessions taking place this term. Take a look at our Olevi Professional Learning Programme here which contains the dates and times of upcoming training sessions. An overview of teach of the sessions on offer can be found below.

Outstanding Teacher Programme

Classroom practitioners will gain a deeper understanding of the latest innovative pedagogy and develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours to make a significant impact on their pupils and inspire others to become outstanding practitioners within a coaching culture.

The dates for this programme are as follows:

Tuesday 23rd April, 2025 - 9:30am-11:30am (HP)

Thursday 8th May, 2025 - 3.00pm - 5.00pm (Online)

Tuesday 20th May, 2025 -  9:30am-11:30am (HP)

Tuesday 3rd June, 2025 - 9:30am-11:30am (HP)

Thursday 5th June, 2025 - 3.00pm - 5.00pm (Online)

Tuesday 24th June, 2025 - 9.30am- 11.30am (HP)

Click here to book.

Power of Coaching  Programme

Practitioners will gain a deeper understanding about the power of coaching and the impact that great coaching has on learning - being able to confidently apply several strategies to deepen the thinking of pupils; inspire colleagues to develop and grow; and become a more reflective and energised professional. As a credible coach, professionals will be able to coach informally, formally and in a structured way using the OLEVI Analytical Coaching programme.

The dates for this programme are as follows:

Thursday 8th May, 2025 - 3.00pm - 5.00pm

Thursday 5th June 2025 - 3.00pm - 5.00pm

Click here to book.

How to plan a think aloud

Bradford Research School

In this blog, we’ll dive into how to plan a Think Aloud effectively, grounding our approach in evidence-based strategies from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

What is a Think Aloud?

A Think Aloud is a teaching strategy where you verbalise your thoughts as you work through a problem or task. Essentially, you’re showing students how to think, step-by-step. This approach not only models problem-solving skills but also exposes potential misconceptions and demonstrates the importance of self-monitoring during learning.

Click here to find out more.

Leader insights: Disciplinary Literacy in maths

By EEF

In the third in a series of Voices from the Classroom from Tudor Grange Research School, we gain teacher and leader reflections on specific aspects of how reading may differ in subjects across the curriculum, with professional development and implementation insights woven through.

Click here to find out more.

Sharing the pen: Interactive writing in the early years

By Julian Grenier

Julian Grenier, our senior early years content and engagement manager for early years, introduces the new ‘Interactive writing’ approach from the Early Literacy theme of the Early Years Evidence Store.

Click here to find out more.

Play Matters - Why play matters in early childhool

Play is serious. Sometimes it's hard to get this across to people. That's because we think of play as something we do for fun, something we do when we can stop doing the real stuff like work, organising our lives or dealing with necessities. We play in order to not do serious things, we might think.

When we come to look more closely at play, we see a whole landscape of human activity in which people are discovering the nature of the world around us, experimenting with what's possible and, when dramatic play is involved, working out relationships and even how we learn that humans are creatures who translate the world through the use of signs, symbols and language (which is itself a symbolic sign system).

Click here to find out more.

Thinking Mathematically: using the ​‘Think Aloud’ and ​‘De-brief’ to develop problem-solving

Blackpool Research School

NEW BLOG: Thinking Mathematically - using the ​‘Think Aloud’ and ​‘De-brief’ to develop problem-solving

 This new blog provides an overview of our research project working with 30 schools across the north of England.

Click here to find out more.

Google for Education: Certified Educator Level 1

This form will allow you to sign up for training for Google Certified Educator exams for Level 1 and Level 2, either online and live, or on our online platform for educators in the England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Once you have expressed interest in the training via this form, someone will reach out to invite you to the next webinar series, or to invite you to the online platform. 

Click here to find out more.

NEW Canva Teacher Certification: AI In The Classroom  

In this 60 minute interactive course, you'll explore how AI can enhance teaching with Canva’s Magic Studio—all while earning your official certification. 

• Welcome to AI in the classroom

• What is the difference between AI and Generative AI

• How is AI used in the classroom

• What you will learn in this certification

Click here to find out more.

KS2/3 Maths Twilights

By Staffordshire Research School

Free and Online

4:00pm-5:00pm

Session 3 – Thursday 3rd April
Fluency and automaticity
Focusing on: Identifying the difference between the two concepts and how we build these into a coherent curriculum

Click here to book.

Principles of Powerful Learning - 10 key concepts in the classroom

Date: 5 sessions from Monday 17th March to Monday 12th May

Time: 3.30pm-5.00pm

Venue: Online

Cost: Free

The Principles of Powerful Learning are 10 principles drawn from Cognitive Science that help teachers understand how students think, learn and remember.

Understanding these principles can help teachers optimise the way they explain concepts, design tasks, and sequence learning. The course will break down each of the principles, and provide practical examples and non-examples from the classroom to illustrate each one.

Click here to find out more.

ConnectED Live with special guests Peps Mccrea and Isla Iago

Date: Tue, 29 Apr

Time: 16:00 - 17:30 BST

Online

Cost: Free

Join us for ConnectED Live with Peps Mccrea and Isla Iago as we delve into real footage from real classrooms (Isla's included) to uncover great teaching. Gain amazing insights, practical tips and take the opportunity to talk great teaching with Peps and Isla!

Click here to find out more.

Seesaw Symposium

Date: May 20th

Join Seesaw on May 20, 2025 for the First-Ever Seesaw Symposium—a dynamic virtual event for principals, head teachers, curriculum directors, & tech leaders!

Connect with experts from ISTE, CAST, NAFSCE, leading districts, & literacy guru Wiley Blevins as they share game-changing strategies for:

 Engagement

 Accessibility

 Excellence

 Early Bird Special: Free registration for a limited time!

Click here to find out more.

Adaptive Teaching in Action (Webinar)

Great Heights Research School West Yorkshire

Research Schools Network

Date: Tuesday 3rd June

Time: 3.45-5pm

Cost: Free

According to a recent Teacher Tapp survey, a top priority for leadership is adaptive teaching. If this is the case in your setting, please join Great Heights Research School for a FREE webinar.

We will explore:

• The evidence bases that underpin principles around adaptive teaching and effective pedagogy.

• How we can utilise the guidance reports around effective implementation and professional development to support your strategy.

Click here to find out more.

Sustainable School Improvement

Date: 11th June 2025

Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm

Venue: Online

Cost: Free

Join us for an insightful webinar focused on sustainable school improvement strategies, designed to empower educators and school leaders with practical approaches to fostering continuous growth and success.

Click here to find out more.

Google for Education - Edu on Air: K12 EMEA

Edu on Air: Stay Ahead in EdTech

Google for Education presents Edu on Air, a continuous learning series bringing you the latest in education technology, tailored for K12 schools across the EMEA region.

🔍 What to expect?

✅ Product updates – Stay informed on Gemini, NotebookLM, Google Workspace for Education, and Chromebooks.

✅ Hands-on demos – Explore new features and real-world applications.

✅ Community meetups – Connect with educators, leaders, and IT experts.

🎯 Choose your track:

🔹 Education Leader – Insights on leadership, resource optimization, and productivity.

🔹 Educator – Practical tools and strategies for classroom success.

🔹 IT Admin – Security, interoperability, and tech management.

Click here to find out more.

How TAs can support learning and improve attainment

Date: 18th June 2025

Time: 3.45-5.45pm

Venue: Online

Cost: Free

We delve into the EEF’s new guidance report Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants and consider the positive impact TAs can have on pupil achievement through the right support, setting and tools.

Attendees: SENCos and senior leaders in primary and secondary schools

Click here to find out more.

Google for Education IT Admin Summit 2025

Date: 20 June 2025 

Time: 9:15 - 17:30 BST

Venue: 

Google London

6 Pancras Square

London

N1C 4AG

GB

Join Google for Education for a free in-person day of hands-on technical learning for network administrators and other IT professionals in education across the UK & Ireland. Choose from tailored breakout sessions, whether you're a beginner or an advanced user, and gain practical, hands-on experience.

Click here to find out more.

Festival of Education

Date: 3-4 July 

Venue: Wellington College.

The Festival of Education is an unparalleled opportunity for educators to immerse themselves in a broad spectrum of educational content, fostering both professional and personal growth.

With hundreds of leading speakers and thousands of attendees, the Festival offers an expansive array of sessions covering the latest trends, research, and innovations in education. From challenging debates and expert lectures to hands-on workshops and panel discussions, there is something to inspire every educator.

We are thrilled to confirm that our Free Ticket Scheme for the Festival of Education, generously funded by Wellington College, will operate again for 2025. This initiative, which began in 2022, is designed to make the Festival accessible to educators from state-funded schools and FE colleges.

Applications for the 2025 scheme are open until the end of Friday 11 April.

Click here to find out more.

Turning Pages, Changing Futures conference

Fri 4 Jul 2025 

10:00 AM - 4:30 PM 

British Library, NW1 2DB

Free to attend

Reading for Pleasure is a powerful force for change. It opens doors, expands horizons and empowers children to shape their own futures. But too many young people face barriers to reading; barriers rooted in economic inequality, limited access to books and systemic challenges.

This conference, brought to you in partnership with the British Library, brings together teachers, school leaders, researchers and authors to explore how we can build inclusive reading cultures to ensure every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of reading.

📖 Keynote speakers: Leading voices in literacy, education, and social justice

🎤 Panel discussions: Teachers, reading culture experts and school leaders on breaking barriers

📚 Workshops: Practical strategies for building a reading culture in all contexts

💬 Author conversations: Stories that inspire and connect

Click here to book your place.

Bitesize explanations - video series

Bitesize Explanations Video Series  

Subscribe to this brilliant video series where Jade Pearce,  Evidence Leaders, will explain an evidence informed strategy and how it can be applied within the classroom.  

You will receive one video per half term, directly to your inbox.  

The videos will include:

Autumn 1- Retrieval Practice 

Autumn 2- Interleaving

Spring 1- Cognitive Load Theory 

Spring 2- Responsive Teaching

Summer 1- Feedback 

Summer 2- Effective 'We do' modelling 

Click here to find out more.

LTA Youth Schools

Do you remember that the LTA Youth Schools teacher training courses are free and online? Take a look today and get inspired by the courses which have been developed by teachers for teachers.

You can complete the training on your phone, tablet or computer at any time of the day. Save your progress and continue later, if you don't have time to finish the course in one go.

Once completed, your school will receive a £250 reward voucher*, thanks to the Tennis Foundation. The voucher can be redeemed against 10 hours of curriculum support from a local LTA Accredited coach or on tennis equipment.

Log in to the LTA Youth Schools website and explore the teacher training pages.

Explorify Hosts Podcasts

In each podcast episode, an Explorify Engagement Leader hosts a conversation about an aspect of primary science with a guest expert. In their chat they share stories, tips and tricks and they signpost to other support and great resources. 

Click here to find out more.

Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path with Google

This learning path provides an overview of generative AI concepts, from the fundamentals of large language models to responsible AI principles.

Find out more here.

Mind the Gap with Tom & Emma

In the show, Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe, Tom and Emma interview experts from the US, UK and beyond, and share timely insights on K-12 trends; research-based approaches in need of greater reach; and innovative strategies to close global gaps. 

Click here to find out more.

The Open University - Open Learn

Design your own CPD with these free resources from The Open University, created for teachers and teaching assistants working across the UK.

All the content in this hub has been selected by academics across The Open University, specifically for teachers, teaching assistants and support staff working across the secondary, primary and early years sectors, including those involved in home education, special schools and pupil referral units.

Click here to access a range of online professional learning sessions from a range of areas.

Geographical Assiocation

FREE CPD VIDEO SUPPORT from @The_GA committee EY and Primary.

Click here to find out more.

LGFL School Staff Training 

LGfL in school support, training and conference events are integral parts of the LGfL Energise curriculum service provided at no extra charge for schools.

Click here to see the training opportunities that are on offer.

Free short online course: Learning for a Sustainable Future

Join a personal and professional global learning journey towards a sustainable future. What on Earth could be more important?

Click here to find out more.

Becoming a Google Certified Coach

A Google Certified Coach is someone who is :

→ Eager to support educators

→ Wanting to drive impactful technology into classrooms

→ Looking to learn research-proven strategies & skills

Does this sound like you? 

Click here to find out more.

On-demand training at your fingertips

View the Google on-demand series of webinars designed to help schools and educators in the UK and Ireland get the most out of Google Workspace for Education and Chromebooks.

Whether you are an educator, Senior Leadership or IT Administrator you can find a session to suit you. 

Click here to find out more.

Adobe Professional Development Courses

Find out all about the free professional learning opportunities on offer from Adobe.

Creativity for all

Adobe Creative Cloud Express in the Classroom

Engaging Video Projects in the Classroom

and many more...

Click here to find out more.

Free online professional development webinars for educators

Oxford University Press has a range of digital webinars to help you continue your professional development online. You can find links to recordings of previously-held webinars, as well as register your interest for upcoming sessions. The recorded webinars are available to watch on demand via Brainshark and you will receive a CPD certificate after watching each one.

Click here to find out more.

Financial Education - Free Online Teacher Training

Complete a free online course, in your own time and at your own speed…

The engaging eLearning courses are self-paced and take between 1.5-2.5 hours to complete.  Along the way you will:

• Learn how financial education can be made real and relevant to the young people you work with

• See where financial education most effectively fits within your curriculum

• Discover key tools to assist in the development of financial education

• Find out how to access further support and resources to aid financial education delivery

• Develop a financial education Action Plan for your own

Click here to find out more.

Developing Reading for Pleasure

Join the Open Learn FREE Developing Reading for Pleasure  badged online course.

Developing the skill to read and the will to read are interrelated, however, this course focuses on the latter; it is an exploration of Reading for Pleasure and its significance for children’s lives and development. You will consider current research, debates and challenges that impact on children’s reading and gain knowledge and strategies to help you promote reader engagement across schools, homes and communities.

Click here to find out more.

Online PE CPD for Teachers

England Football's Online PE CPD for Teachers course is designed to increase confidence in the delivery of engaging, inclusive, high-quality Physical Education lessons through the invasion game of football.

Click here to find out more.

Free Anti-Bullying CPD online training

The following online training courses are available: 

• What is bullying? 

• Bullying and the Law 

• Bullying and SEN/disability 

• 10 principles to reduce bullying

• Preventing bullying

• Responding to bullying

• Cyberbullying (Online bullying)

• Young Carers and Bullying 

• Looked After Children and Bullying

• Mental Health and Bullying

• Sexual Bullying

• Bullying and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller young people 

Click here to find out more.

Are you following @LEOtraining5 on Twitter yet?

If you would like to stay up to date on all things training at LEO Academy Trust and beyond then make sure you follow @LEOtraining5 on Twitter.

• Get notified when new PL videos are added to the LEO YouTube page.

• Receive reminders of upcoming courses and events.

• Keep up to date with what is happening at LEO training events as and when they are taking place.

• Explore other PL opportunities on offer outside of the Trust.

Click here to to visit the page now.